This year’s pops concert will take place on May 29 at 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The concert is made up of large and small ensembles, including different solos and duets. The choir students selected well-known pop songs to audition in front of the Stillwater concert choir, and if they are chosen, they will perform at the concert.
The Pops concert stands out from other choir events because it is a fully student-led performance. Students take full creative control and are responsible for bringing their artistic ideas to life on stage. This includes organizing and choreographing songs, handling transitions and doing tech work.
“While leading this concert, I have learned creativity, responsibility, and proactivity, because you must figure out how to solve problems since it is a student-led performance,” senior and social chair Amanda Schraut said.
The time frame to prepare for the concert is impressively short, which helps students to focus and collaborate. It consists of in-class rehearsals along with extracurricular practice.
“We pull Pops Concert together in 3 weeks. We never do more than that, sometimes it is two and a half, sometimes it is three and a half, but it is never four,” choir teacher Angela Mitchell explained.
Much of the show’s success is due to the leadership of the two students elected as social chairs of the Stillwater choir. They are chosen as the masters of ceremonies for the Pops concert. They introduce each act at the performance along with keeping smooth transitions and high energy.
Schraut explained how she typically helps with “figuring out the microphones, getting fast changes between acts and just creating a fun environment for everyone.”
The Pops concert stands as a platform for growth. The performance helps student get out of their comfort zone, take creative risks and try new things. The experience fosters confidence, teamwork and leadership by encouraging students to express themselves in front of a live audience.
Senior Mayson Puhrman explained that it is so rewarding to see how many hours of work students put into the concert and then to watch it go so well
To be in the concert, students must audition in front of the Stillwater concert choir to get a spot on the roster. The audition is usually one to two minutes of their chosen song. The audition process helps build confidence, and it prepares them for the audition.
“People are usually really nervous and scared, but then they just let it all go and leave on stage,” Puhrmann said.
The Pops concert is more than just a performance. It shows off students’ talents, leaderships and collaborations. The concert brings the school community together in a fun and meaningful way. As students take the spotlight on stage and behind the scenes, the Pops concert stands as a proud tradition that highlights the creativity and passion of the choir.
